Category Archives: Liberty

PORTLAND -- While a hoard of teenagers were busy cheering on their favorite high school teams last weekend at the 6A state boys basketball tournament at the Rose Garden, another kind of basketball tournament was going on right next door. The Rebound Rumble.

The Memorial Coliseum was swarming with basketball-playing robots -- and plenty of budding engineers -- during the two-day Oregon FIRST Robotics regional competition.

Liberty High School's robotics team was there to compete with 65 other teams from around the Pacific Northwest and as far away as Hawaii, California and Mexico.

Liberty finished 26th at the event, not enough to qualify to go on to compete at the championships, slated for April in St. Louis.

But Liberty team spokesman Aakash Jani said his team members were pleased with the way their robot performed. "Overall we feel that our robot did pretty well considering the issues that we faced," he said.

Each team brought its own 120-pound robot, designed, engineered and built by students in just six weeks. To score points, the robots needed to navigate the competition arena, shoot basketballs, climb ramps and balance on a "seesaw" platform.

But the biggest challenge for Liberty's team, Jani said, was the robot's mechanical arm.

"We had to redesign our arm mechanism almost five times at the competition to fit constraints, which was an initial oversight on our part."

That task kept the team busy between matches. "They haven't had a lot of down time," said advisor and Liberty High School teacher Milt Scholl.

In between nine qualifying rounds during the two-day tournament, team members hung out in "the pit."

Excerpt from:
Liberty High School's robotics team finishes 26th in FIRST Robotics Rebound Rumble

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Liberty Media Corporation (Nasdaq: LMCA, LMCB) today revealed the winning entry for its third annual Media for Liberty Award, a $50,000 journalism prize that recognizes media contributions that examine the link between economic and political liberty. A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan, a film by Seamus Murphy and originally published by MediaStorm, was selected by the Media for Liberty Award jury panel as the winning submission for 2012. Print, broadcast and online submissions were judged on criteria including thematic relevance, educational value and relevance to the public discourse.

Based on 14 trips to Afghanistan between 1994 and 2010, A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan is the collaboration of VII Photo's Seamus Murphy and award-winning production studio MediaStorm. Murphy's work chronicles a people caught time and again in political turmoil, struggling to find their way.

This piece brings to focus the often overlooked people of the country, and their desire for self-determination. From the Soviet invasion and the mujahideen resistance to the Taliban and the American occupation, A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan examines thirty years of Afghan history. It is the story of ordinary citizens whose lives play out in the shadow of superpowers.

The principal team involved in the production: Photography and Video: Seamus Murphy Producer: Eric Maierson Executive Producer: Brian Storm

This was a powerful story that unfolds over fourteen years and illustrates the physical, emotional and economic toll the years of political instability took on an average Afghan family, said John Malone, Chairman of Liberty Media. On behalf of the jury panel, we congratulate Seamus Murphy and MediaStorm for producing an educative and compelling piece that stood out among this years entries.

A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan will be celebrated at a ceremony hosted by Liberty Media and emceed by Tucker Carlson, a contributor to FOX News, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Caller news site and a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

For more information on the Media for Liberty Award, including past honorees and details regarding eligibility please visit http://www.mediaforlibertyaward.com. To see the film, please visit http://www.mediastorm.com.

About Liberty Media Corporation

Liberty Media (Nasdaq: LMCA, LMCB) owns interests in a broad range of media, communications and entertainment businesses, including its subsidiaries Atlanta National League Baseball Club, Inc. and TruePosition, Inc., its interests in Starz, LLC, SiriusXM, Live Nation Entertainment and Barnes & Noble, and minority equity investments in Time Warner Inc. and Viacom.

Read this article:
2012 Media for Liberty Award Honors MediaStorm for A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan by Seamus Murphy

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Liberty Guard, a national, non-profit, non-partisan organization with more than 4,000 members dedicated to protecting and defending individual liberty, has filed suit in the Superior Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

This suit is part of Liberty Guard's defense of the civil liberties of American citizens against the intrusive searches that routinely confront air travelers by the TSA at airport security checkpoints.

Former Congressman Bob Barr (R-GA), who serves as Chairman of Liberty Guard, commended President Joe Seehusen and Attorney Christopher L. Markham for filing the lawsuit. "This lawsuit will help empower all those who travel by commercial air carrier, to be protected against arbitrary and privacy-invasive techniques employed by the federal government that are of questionable constitutional validity," said Barr.

The suit explains that the TSA and DHS have refused to comply with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from Liberty Guard dealing with the November 2010 "opt-out" movement. Liberty Guard is seeking that the court force the government to comply with request.

Liberty Guard is non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that engages in public education campaigns, court action, and legislative activity. Liberty Guard makes full use of the media, courts, legislative influence and, most importantly, the energy of its supporters to advance liberty.

Read more:
Liberty Guard Files Lawsuit Against TSA

By Leonard Sparks

Published: 2:00 AM - 03/15/12

LIBERTY The Liberty School District would shave two weeks off summer school and eliminate a full-time custodial position as part of $395,757 in savings contained in a proposed 2012-13 non-instructional budget.

The budget is based on a 2.7 percent maximum-allowable tax levy increase.

Tuesday's presentation on the proposed plan, made two weeks before the district unveils its instructional budget, included a 33-slide PowerPoint covering the spending plan for administration, staff and teacher pensions, health benefits, operations and maintenance.

Superintendent Mike Vanyo spoke of the cuts the district has made over the past two years and warned that Liberty faces many challenges as it tries to balance the budget without exhausting reserves. Vanyo predicted that, at the current rate, reserves could be depleted by 2016.

"We're going to look for ways to decrease expenses, we're going to look for ways to increase revenues, we're going to look for ways to be more efficient," he said.

Liberty has cut the equivalent of 32 full-time positions over the past two years to close combined deficits of more than $2 million. The cuts have included staff, teachers and aide positions. The increase, which could be reduced before a budget is sent to voters, includes pension-contribution growth and capital expenses excluded from tax cap calculations.

This year, summer school would be cut to four weeks from six weeks under the proposed non-instructional budget, which increases spending by 2.8 percent.

Liberty would also cut $21,000 from field trips, reduce its 4 p.m. bus runs to two days from three days and eliminate a full-time custodial position through attrition. The proposal also reduces spending on BOCES services and eliminates one of four newsletters. The cuts and largely flat spending would offset significant increases in staff and teacher pension contributions, health insurance and workers' compensation. Pension costs are increasing by $90,000 and medical insurance by $362,159. Liberty must cut $955,000 overall, meaning it will have to squeeze $560,000 in savings out of an instructional budget that has already been severely pared. "We've got to come up with a solution; we can't keep cutting positions," Vanyo said. "If we don't reduce our expenses, then we've got to increase our revenues, and there's not a lot of ways to do that."

Read more here:
Liberty school officials present belt-tightening plans

Shooting woes and turnovers doomed Liberty High School's girls basketball team on Tuesday night.

The Hurricanes made just 3-of-14 free throw attempts and Governor Mifflin forced them into 27 turnovers en route to a 51-42 victory in a PIAA Class AAAA second-round playoff game at Hamburg High School.

Liberty, which finished 17-10, fought gallantly after falling behind by as many as 11 points in the first half. The Hurricanes could never fully recover like they did in rallying from 12 down to defeat Cardinal O'Hara in their first-round state game.

"I don't think it's really hit me yet that this is my last high school game," said senior guard Jody Chickey, who led Liberty with 11 points. "Obviously, I wish we would have played better. It happens. I try not to dwell on it. I'm glad we made it this far."

Governor Mifflin (19-8), the sixth seed from District 3, advances to Friday's quarterfinals against Council Rock South at a time and site to be determined.

Junior guard Emily Gingrich, who's verbally accepted a full scholarship to play soccer at St. Joseph's, burned the Hurricanes with 25 points and seven steals.

"She's just a gifted athlete," Mustangs coach Richard Bausher said. "She has such a feel for everything. She's just learning to play basketball. I can't imagine how good she'd be if basketball was her No. 1 sport."

Liberty found itself in an early hole as Gingrich scored 10 points in the first quarter to stake the Mustangs to a 16-6 lead.

The Hurricanes continued to struggle in the second quarter. It took Chickey's pull-up jumper from the wing to reduce the deficit to 25-16 at the half.

Liberty shot just 7-for-31 from the floor in the first half, including 1-for-12 from 3-point range. Perhaps most mystifying was Liberty's 1-for-10 effort from the foul line.

See more here:
Liberty High School girls basketball team falls to Governor Mifflin in PIAA playoffs

HAMBURG For all that went wrong for Liberty through three quarters foul trouble, missed free throws, passes without purpose it had the opportunity it wanted.

Emily Gingrich swiped the Hurricanes' chances to complete their game-long comeback quest.

Best known for her footwork on the soccer field, the Governor Mifflin junior flashed quick hands on the basketball court Tuesday when the Mustangs were in danger of losing their lead. Twice she converted steals into baskets with her team's advantage sliced to a single possession.

Her second swipe-and-score wound up as a three-point opportunity that she finished, starting a 12-2 run that clinched Governor Mifflin's 51-42 win over Liberty in a PIAA Class 4A second-round girls basketball game at Hamburg High School.

Gingrich finished with 25 points and seven steals for the Mustangs (19-8), who entered the 4A playoffs as District 3's No. 6 state qualifier but have wound up as one of the last eight 4A teams still playing in the state. They will face District One No. 4 Council Rock South, a 54-51 winner over District 3 champion Red Lion, in a state quarterfinal Friday at a site and time to be determined.

Liberty, the District 11 4A runner-up, concluded its season at 17-10. The Hurricanes led just one time Tuesday, at 2-1 in the first quarter. They still had three chances to tie or go ahead in the fourth quarter but could not keep the ball away from Gingrich when it mattered most.

"I knew how quick she was, but it's hard to guard speed," Liberty coach Amy Yencho said. "We needed to be in help position. I knew on the defensive end she was going to cause problems too. We emphasized skip passes and back passes were not going to be there, and we would have to ball-fake and dribble-penetrate. We didn't execute."

In a game featuring Governor Mifflin's all-time leading scorer (Ashley Espinosa) and a Division I basketball recruit (Liberty senior Jody Chickey), Gingrich played better than anyone. She scored 10 of her points in the first quarter, helping the Mustangs build a 16-6 lead after eight minutes. She added nine more points in the fourth quarter.

Her biggest play came midway through the fourth. Liberty senior C.J. Hilliard missed a 3-pointer that would have given the Hurricanes the lead, but Maggie Zerbe (eight rebounds) grabbed the offensive board.

When Zerbe tried to throw the ball to a teammate, Gingrich zipped in front of the pass for a steal and drove the length of the floor for a layup on which she was fouled. She drilled the free throw to give Governor Mifflin a 39-34 lead with 4:21 to go.

Read the original:
Liberty falls to Governor Mifflin in PIAA 4A girls basketball

Liberty Mutual said it will continue its legal fight even after a federal judge formally approved a $450 million workers compensation class-action settlement between AIG and its rival companies.

The class action alleged that American International Group (AIG) and its subsidiaries had intentionally under-reported workers comp premiums to state regulators for decades, in an attempt to pay smaller premium taxes and residual market charges before 1996.

In the class action, insurers said AIGs scheme hurt them financially because AIG, with its under-reporting, was allowed a smaller share of the high-risk residual market assessments.

According to the settlement, formally approved by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Gettleman on Feb. 28, AIG will pay $450 million, which will be divided up among commercial insurers that were affected by AIGs alleged scheme.

The settlement class was certified in July 2011 by Judge Gettleman and the $450 million settlement was given preliminary approval last December.

But Liberty Mutual, one of the insurers in the class action, argues that the settlement is inadequate. The current settlement assumes that AIG under-reported its workers comp premiums by $2.1 billion, an amount that the opponents of the settlement are calling too small.

Liberty Mutual is disappointed but not surprised with the Judges final written order approving the settlement. Liberty Mutual has filed an appeal, Liberty Mutual spokesman Richard Angevine told Insurance Journal.

We respectfully and vigorously disagree that the settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate. The settlement was negotiated by conflicted parties and it is unfair because it reflects damages of $2.1 billion, far less than the $6.1 billion in actual damages demonstrated by the court-approved statistical model.

Angevine added: Liberty Mutual remains committed to making sure that AIG is held accountable for knowingly under-reporting workers compensation premiums to various insurance pools for more than two decades.

Those in favor of the current settlement include AIG as well as Hartford Financial Services Group, Travelers Indemnity, Technology Insurance, Ace Ina Holdings, Auto-Owners Insurance, Companion Property & Casualty Insurance and Firstcomp Insurance.

The rest is here:
Liberty Mutual ‘Disappointed’ at $450M AIG Workers’ Comp Settlement

GREAT NECK, NY--(Marketwire -03/14/12)- One Liberty Properties, Inc. (NYSE: OLP - News), an owner of a geographically diversified portfolio of retail, industrial, office and other properties primarily under long term leases in the United States, today announced operating results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2011.

Patrick J. Callan, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of One Liberty, commented, "During 2011, we continued to build on our 2010 success in growing and improving our portfolio through select acquisitions and dispositions. In 2011, we acquired six properties and sold one, using our network of relationships to secure additional properties that will contribute to our growth in the coming years. We ended the year with occupancy at 97.6% which supports strong cash flow. As we enter 2012, One Liberty is well positioned to balance additional acquisitions and solid occupancy with select divestitures to further enhance cash flow in our efforts to drive increased value for our stockholders."

Operating Results:

Total revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2011 increased 12.5% to $11.7 million, compared to $10.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2010. Revenues benefited from the contribution of the Company's 2010 and 2011 acquisitions.

Income from continuing operations in the fourth quarter of 2011 increased 107% to $3.1 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, compared to $1.5 million, or $0.12, per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2010. Contributing to the improvement was the increase in revenues and the $493,000 decrease in interest expense. Interest expense decreased primarily as a result of the decrease in mortgage interest expense and, to a lesser extent, the decrease in the Company's outstanding credit line balance.

The Company generated Funds from Operations ("FFO") of $5.7 million, or $0.39 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2011, as compared to $4.1 million or $0.35 per diluted share in the corresponding period of the prior year. A reconciliation of GAAP amounts to non-GAAP amounts is presented with the financial information included later in this release.

The per share results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2011 take into account the issuance of shares issued under One Liberty's dividend reinvestment program and 2.7 million shares in the Company's February 2011 public offering. The Company used a portion of the approximately $40.6 million of net proceeds it received from the offering to reduce the outstanding credit line balance and payoff certain mortgages bearing high interest rates.

Full Year 2011 Operating Results:

Total revenues increased 10.2% to $45.2 million compared to $41 million for 2010. Revenues increased due to the impact of acquisitions.

Income from continuing operations increased 52.8% to $12.5 million, or $0.87 per diluted share, compared to $8.2 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, in 2010. Contributing to the improvement were the increased revenues, a $1.2 million gain on settlement of debt and a $899,000 decrease in interest expense. Interest expense decreased due primarily to the reduction in the outstanding credit line balance and to a lesser extent reduced mortgage interest expense.

The rest is here:
One Liberty Properties, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Results

LYNCHBURG, VA --

The sky is the limit at the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Center, as students and the community help collect canned food items for the victims of the recent tornadoes.

General Manager, Drew Sherwood, is coordinating the efforts with the organization Gleaning for the World.

"I know personally and the rest of the community feels the same way, we hope they would help us if we were in need. so we want to continue helping them out as much as possible, says Sherwood.

The group is in six different states, helping victims get the most important necessity: food. The Reverend Ron Davidson is in daily contact with the volunteers on the ground, who describe the devastation as shocking.

"If you can think of an area the size of Alta Vista, Buena Vista, places that size, there were probably four or five of those communities that were wiped off the map by tornados, says Rev. Davidson.

Davidson says food drives like the one at the Snowflex center has a huge impact on their efforts.

"Having canned food in particular non perishable food is what we are going to need for a long time for them, says Davidson.

A little help and food goes a long way says Davidson; sharing a story about a family whose house no longer exists.

"We were able to deliver stuffed animals to the two and five year old children. And then we got food and thing in and were the only one that had come by to see he was okay. So the need is tremendous and is going to be for a long period of time, says Davidson.

See more here:
Liberty University helps victims of midwest tornadoes

March13,2012 The nationally ranked West Liberty mens basketball team is looking for another win tonight in the regional Atlantic championship game. The game will be televised by the students at West Liberty University.

West Liberty University operates its own cable television station on a Wheeling area cable channel that reaches more than 100,000 homes. The institution produces ninety percent of their own content including more than 40 televised games per yearmost of which also air on a assortment of various media television outlets.

Reid Amos, who has led the WV Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Radio Network since 2003, also recently served as executive producer and the play-by-play caller for the televised WVIAC basketball championship finals. That 4-day tournament in Charleston was picked up by Pittsburghs ROOT SPORTS, available in more than 99 percent of cable homes in West Virginia.

We covered at least one game each day for our own station, Amos says. We were delivering it live via some new IP technology which were very confident are going to revolutionize the way live television gets deliveredit already is in some ways.

"Then on Saturday when we worked with ROOTS SPORTS-Pittsburgh, we delivered to ROOTS SPORTS live via satellite. It was the first experience for our students to work with a satellite truck delivering a live show. We had ten students who made up the majority of our crew. It was a neat, neat experience for everybody that was involved.

The students showed up in their brand new 24 and a half foot long studio production truck known as Bella and recorded their home-team mens basketball team the Hilltoppers win the WVIAC tournament 93-90, in overtime, against the Charleston Golden Eagles.

Link:
West Liberty to televise men’s basketball division-II championship